Farnsworth. Matthias Farnsworth, the progenitor of the numerous families in Groton bearing his name, came from Lynn. He was an original proprietor of the town, and owned a twenty-acre right. His farm was situated on both sides of the road leading to Harvard, a little south of James's brook, more than a mile from the village. He was living at Lynn in the year 1657, and at Groton in 1664, though he may have been a resident of each place earlier than these respective dates. He died in the latter part of the year 1689, aged 77 years. The following is a copy of his will, on file in the Middlesex Probate Office at East Cambridge:--
Groton Jenewarey 15th: 1688-9 and in the 4 yere of the Rain of King James the second I mathyas farnworth sen of groton in the county of midlsix in new ingland aged about 77 yers being wall considrat and of sound and parfit Judgment and understanding thanks be to god for it I being sensabl of my many failtyes & unsartanty of my natueral lif and knowing what disaduantag many times happens for want of a Right sating the hous in order being desiras to ackt and satl things that consarns me doe make conshans and doe daclare this prasant instrement to be my last will & tastement in manar and form as foloweth making uoyd all formar wills ather by word or dead but first I Commit my soul to all myty god my Creater hoping I shal Rasaue full pardon of all my sins throw Jasus Christ and I commit my bodey to the earth from whans it was taken to be beured in such deasant manar as my exsecters shall see meet and first to the distrebiting my eastat I doe giue to my beloued wif so long as she liues a widow won third of my whol astat and the moueabls within the hous I doe laue to hur to daspose as shee pleases and sacondly I doe giue to my son mathyas farnsworth for his full porshun that fiue akker Right which his deed spasefyes and a peese of madow called by the name of half moon madow and twanty akekers of land lying neer a plase called by the name of Prascots old mill and this to be counted to be his full porshan unlass he meets with malistation by any ralations of his and if so then I will and giue to my son mathyas my hom stall that I now dwall upon with hous & barn and that hom stall that my son mathyas now liues on to Raturn in seed thare of
and thirdly I giue to my son John farnworth that fiue akar Right that his deed spasefyes and tan shilins more to be Payed of the astat for his full proshan
fourthly I giue to my son bangeman farnworth that part of my land lying on the out side of my hom stall fans at the lower end of the lot and twanty akekers at the plas neer prescotts old mill and six akkers of madow lying at south madow and this for his porshun
fiftly for my son samewall & Jonathan farnworth I doe giue the Rast of my land and madow that is undasposed on lying at the old mill for thare porshun
and I giue my daughter Robison won cow and to my daughter thacker I giue twenty shilins and to my daughter Stoon won cow and twanty shilins and to my daughter abigall farnworth twalue pound for her porshun and as to the Rast of my eastat undasposed of I leaue in the hand of my exsectters to daspose of to my wif or children as thay think to be most Rason I mak Chois of my son mathyas farnworth with nathanil lawrins san & Jonas prescott for exsackters this taken from his own mouth syned and sealed in the prasants of us
matyas (M – his mark) farnsworth sen
nathannil lawrance
Jonas Prescott
Nicklas (S – his mark) huchins
also I giue my loam & tacklins for waring to my son mathyas farnworth
Xbr. 17. 1689 Charlestowne
Nathanll Larrance & Jonas Prescott appearing in Court and made oath yt they were prsent when Mathias ffarnworth Deced signed sealed and published this his last will & Testament, and yt he was of sound judgment and of disposeing minde when he did he same and yt they sett theire hands there to as witnesses wth Nicolas Hutchins
as att. Samll. Phipps Cler
His wife's name was Mary, and they had ten children. The list of them given below is compiled from different sources. It is probably that his “daughter Robison” was the wife of James Robertson, or Robinson; and in that case, her name was Elizabeth, and probably she was born in England. James Robertson, an original proprietor of the town, married his wife, January 16, 1667, and she died December 22, 1729, aged 82 years. I am not sure about the order of the births of his children, but I suggest the following: Elizabeth [?], who probably married James Robertson; Joseph, born November 17, 1657, at Lynn, and died February 20, 1686-7; Mary, born October 11, 1660, at Lynn, and married, April 11, 1676, Samuel Thacker, of Watertown; Matthias, born at Groton; John, who married, December 8, 1686, Hannah, daughter of John and Sarah (Eliot) Aldis, of Dedham, and had nine children; Benjamin, who married Mary, daughter of Jonas and Mary (Loker) Prescott, and had ten children; Samuel, who married, December 12, 1706, widow Mary (Whitcomb) Willard, and had three children; Abigail, born January 17, 1671, and probably married John Hutchins, of Groton; Sarah [?], who perhaps married Simon Stone; and Jonathan, born June 1, 1675, married Ruth –--, and had fourteen children.
